Overview
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN Thursday that Sam Presti handed him a children's edition of The Tortoise and the Hare to teach patience and steady development.
- Presti later gave Gilgeous-Alexander a tortoise statue that now sits with his trophies and serves as a constant reminder of the message.
- The story highlights a 2021 five-year, $172 million extension with no player option as an early financial commitment to SGA that reflected the franchise’s patient approach.
- That approach combined internal development of Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams with selective veteran additions such as Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein to strengthen the roster.
- The payoff came in a MVP season for Gilgeous-Alexander followed by a 2024-25 Finals MVP and championship, a sequence reporters use to illustrate why the Thunder stuck with a long-term plan.